TRI.BE’s Songsun Reveals The Harsh Realities And Uncertainties Of Being A K-Pop Trainee
Over the years, idols have made no secret how tough it is to be a K-Pop trainee with the endless amount of time practicing, expectations on weight, and no certainty that you will even debut.
In a recent feature with DongA Original, TRI.BE member Songsun revealed just how hard it was for her as a trainee.
Songsun started training as an idol in 2012 after being scouted by an agency and spent over nine years working hard and going through all the struggles, yet never being able to debut. During this time, she was promised the chance to debut by her company almost ten times, but it fell through for various reasons each time.
In the article, Songsun recalled how new trainees would always arrive, girls much younger than herself. With all these new trainees, she explained that the prospect of debuting seemed to be slipping further away.
One of the hardest moments came in 2020, during her ninth year as a trainee when she announced to her company that she “Couldn’t take it anymore.”
It came after another failed debut opportunity after the K-Pop industry felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and she explained this to her vocal coach.
I want to quit. All I want is to make music. I don’t have to be on television. I just want to do music. I can be a singer-songwriter, and I don’t have to be an idol anymore.
— Songsun
Like many idols, Songsun also spoke about the strictness of diets and weight control. Her morning routine would involve sending a picture of weight scales, and her daily calorie intake would be monitored.
With all this pressure, it seemed to become too much. On one particular day, Songsun went home and had thoughts about quitting and added, “I just wanted to live a life like everyone else, without overloading my head.”
In 2021, Songsun was able to debut as part of the girl group TRI.BE and could finally live out the dream she had been working towards for nearly a decade. Yet, it proves that, behind the glitz and glamor, the life of a K-Pop idol and a trainee is seen with rose-tinted glasses.
You can watch the group’s latest track below!
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